Church is great, but did you know that it can only happen when you show up? The apostle Paul calls the church the body of Christ and he proclaimed in 1 Corinthians 12:27: ‘Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.’ The body really does function best when all of the parts are present and functional! We should never underestimate the significance of showing up and worshipping God, serving the body and encouraging each other.
I heard someone say that church is not designed to be a passenger boat, where people just get on and off frequently and meander along, enjoying the flow. It should be more like a battleship, where we work together, cover each other and prefer one another; a place where we gear up for mission, as we follow the orders of King Jesus through his Word and by his Spirit! The body of Christ needs you and your unique personality and gift; no matter who we are, when we are absent we leave a void!
On the flipside, we need to be part of the plan for our own benefit; isolation is not helpful! God himself pointed out that ‘it is not good for the man to be alone’ (Genesis 2:18). A healthy spiritual walk requires our belonging; so don’t leave a gap. Be encouraged: the body of Christ needs you! Let’s rev up the momentum and make sure we prioritise our sense of togetherness as we journey together!